Live the Name
by katierosefun
Summary: It is year 3056 and Arthur Pendragon still hadn't returned. Merlin, on the other hand, is still waiting. Magic is being recognized as a danger and many people are being taken away and killed. Little does he know that the girl living in the flat below him is a part of his destiny in reuniting magic and Albion with the King...[Eventual Merlin/OC. Realistic relationship development.]
1. Life Goes On

**Hello, everyone! Katierosefun speaking! This is my second ever Merlin FanFic, (and first ever mutli-chapter Merlin FanFic,) so I'm crossing my fingers that at least ****_some_**** people will read this. I know that I'm not very well-known in the Merlin fandom, but I recently watched the show, (watched seasons one to five,) and I've been addicted. **

**And, like everyone else in the fandom, I went under some serious feels and tears in the season five finale. WHY DID ARTHUR HAVE TO DIE?! AND MERLIN'S WAITING FOR ARTHUR ALL THIS TIME, WAAAAAAH! *curls into a ball of feels and sobs/screams in pain over Merlin and Arthur* **

**This idea popped into my head almost automatically after I finished watching the finale-or at least, some form of the rough draft. I had the idea bouncing around my head since season three but it wasn't until the end of season five did I decide to actually write this down. Anyways, I've been rambling for too long but there are some things that should be taken note of before reading this story-I know that Merlin is an old man at the end of the season finale of season five, but I've converted him to look like himself when he was younger...around the time he was hired as manservant to Arthur. **

**I think some other writers did that with Merlin as well, and don't worry-Merlin will still be just as old as he is, he'll just look MUCH younger. Sort of like in Doctor Who, if any of you guys watch the show. **

**Ha-I'm rambling again. Bottom line-please, please, PLEASE review/fave/follow if you enjoyed the story! Feedback would be great, just no hate or harsh language or stuff. XD **

* * *

_Chapter One. Life Goes On_

A new year was dawning—judging by the great cheers and noises outside and next to his flat, Merlin guessed that it had already come.

He tapped his fingers against the windowsill—year 3056 was here now.

Another year of waiting for King Arthur to wake up, another year of loneliness. Merlin heaved a sigh and stood up from his chair at the window and walked straight into his bedroom. Great lights were ablaze outside and fireworks blew up merrily in the sky, but he didn't pay much attention. The days of his amusement in entertainment were far behind him now, after all.

The sorcerer slid under the covers of his bed and turned off the light, but did not sleep. His eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Merlin never _did_ enjoy sleeping anymore—the nightmares kept coming back. How many more times would he have to watch Arthur die before his eyes? How many more times would he have to see his failure?

And his friends—all of his friends he left back at Camelot—Gaius, Gwen, Gwaine, Percival, Leon…what had become of _them_?

Merlin felt shame and anger burning through his veins and clamped his hands over his ears. He closed his eyes tightly to avoid whatever scenes that were playing through his head.

_"I hope you find what you're looking for." _

_"I'll have your favorite meal waiting for you. Now go. Look after him. Go." _

_"Thank you." _

Merlin's eyes were suddenly stinging with tears and he quickly rolled over on his face into the pillow, trying to muffle his sobs. His hands clenched and unclenched themselves and his entire body shook.

_Hundreds and hundreds of years…_and he _still_ couldn't stop thinking about that day.

Merlin instinctively began to curl into a small ball on the bed and clutched the sheets. He would have to endure yet _another_ night of suffering.

•◊•

It was bright outside when Merlin woke up—the sun wasn't quite at its highest peak, but it was high enough for people to run errands before noon would be upon them.

He kicked off his blankets halfheartedly and walked out of his bedroom. Merlin peered into the mirror and ran a hand through his raven-black hair. It was odd—he was nearly a thousand years old, perhaps a bit more than that, (the warlock had actually lost count after some time,) but he was able to look _much _younger than he actually was.

Except for the eyes, of course.

It was always the eyes…

Merlin blinked at his reflection and hurriedly turned away. He didn't usually check his appearance—he looked as though he was the same young, naïve boy who was just appointed as Arthur's manservant.

_No, don't think about that._ Merlin shook his head and opened his flat door. He looked down to grab the papers and quickly ducked his head back in before any of his neighbors could see him.

It wasn't that Merlin was anti-social or a hermit—he enjoyed the occasional conversation as much as the next person, but he was always careful to keep to himself. There were certain secrets that he still had to keep, and to be honest, he wasn't quite sure how people would react if they discovered his secrets firsthand.

Merlin flipped through the papers, skimming through the headlines. It was a daily practice for him now—he would quickly scan the words for any unnatural occurrences that might serve as a sign that the great king of Camelot had returned.

_'Sorcery Act Takes Effect',_ were the only headlines that were printed on the paper. Merlin sighed, disgusted, and threw the articles on the couch.

It was an annoyance and a pain to know that magic was _still_ outlawed. The Pendragon family died out many years ago, so Merlin knew that sorcerers wouldn't be getting their liberty any time soon, but he had hoped, (in vain, he might add,) that perhaps _someone_ would at least recognize magic as a benefit.

Sadly, that wasn't the case.

Magic was discovered, alright, and it wasn't just any old form of magic. People who studied in the darker aspects were found guilty of harming innocents, and sorcery had even more effective restrictions than ever.

Merlin sat down at the kitchen table quietly, drumming his fingers against the table. There wasn't much for him to do at the moment, if truth had to be told. He wasn't hungry, so eating was out of the list. He wasn't feeling particularly tired, seeing that he had just woken up, so taking a nap wouldn't help, either.

He didn't exactly turn on the telly except to see the news, but Merlin doubted that he'd see anything interesting except the constant alert of the Sorcery Act taking more effect.

Merlin stood up and shrugged out of his shirt. He would take his usual walk outside, then. Look over the Lake, watch if anything would happen, and hope that there wasn't any damage done.

Merlin opened one of the drawers to his dresser and rummaged through the belongings held in there. He managed to find a wearable assemble of clothing that he could put on for his trip outside.

For several silent moments, Merlin changed quickly out of his former attire. He was about to head out the door when he paused and turned around. He quickly walked back to his dresser and pulled out a small, worn, red neckerchief.

_Sentimental reasons,_ he thought somewhat sadly to himself before tying it on. Once securing it around his neck, he walked out the door to face the day.

•◊•

Merlin sat in front of the Lake with his legs stretched out in front of him. He stared at the glittering water quietly, being moved only when a faint wind would hit the surface of the water.

If Merlin concentrated hard enough, he could still picture Arthur's face. It was frightening what more than a thousand years away from your friends could do to you.

There were some days when Merlin almost forgot what Gwen's voice sounded like, or what Gaius' smile looked like, or the way Gwaine laughed during training sessions. It was in those moments when Merlin was scared—scared of forgetting about his friends forever.

But then there were days when Merlin almost forgot what _Arthur_ looked like. He could still see his smile and his eyes perfectly, but it always looked deformed in his mind, as though he was missing something.

Merlin sighed and leaned back, his head touching the grass. He stared up at the sky and folded his hands on top of his stomach. It was quieter today—usually, the sounds of nearby trucks or cars always got in the way of Merlin's thoughts, but on this particular day, the noises of modern civilization had died down just enough for him to take a couple of moments to himself.

_"There's something I want to say…" _

_"You're not going to say goodbye." _

_"No, Merlin. Everything you've done, I know now. For me, for Camelot, for the kingdom you helped me build. I want to say something I've never said to you before…thank you." _

Merlin felt a tear squeeze out of his eye and slowly slide down the side of his face. He quickly wiped a hand over his eyes and took a deep breath. He would _not_ do this again.

"Do you really like the lake _that_ much? I mean, yeah, it's pretty, but _gee_, it must be _really_ something to look at if you're getting all emotional over it."

Merlin opened his eyes with a start and sat up quickly. Standing in front of him was a young girl, perhaps in her late teens or in her early twenties. She was a fairly small creature—not small enough to be considered as a 'midget', but not exactly tall enough to be looked at as most girls. Her hair was of a dark color and cut to the chin, and her eyes were a lighter shade of brown.

In truth, the girl looked simple and plain with the only exception of her startlingly red streak of hair that was undoubtedly attached to her head as a décor of a sort.

"Ah, no. I wasn't getting emotional," Merlin said haltingly. "Reflex. Y'know…yawning?"

The girl frowned. "Really? You yawned? 'Cause I've been standing here for some time and I hadn't seen you do _anything_ except just sit there."

Merlin blinked and the girl went on, "Then again, maybe you _did_ yawn and I just didn't pay attention. That happens to me a lot. I'll just be standing at some place and then I forget what exactly I'm doing and something important would have happened and I would have _no idea_ _what_, even if it was _right in front of me._"

Merlin frowned and he stood up. "Maybe you didn't see me," he said decidedly. "But thanks for the concern, even though I wasn't crying."

"Definitely not." The girl nodded solemnly but when the warlock looked at her again, there was a merry twinkle in her eyes.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Merlin asked.

"No, I guess not." The girl said with a grin. "Glad you caught on."

Merlin paused and then twiddled with the hem of his jacket. "Thanks for the conversation," he managed to say. "Have a nice day."

He turned around and began to walk the other way. For a couple moments, everything was quiet as he headed down the street until he heard the sound of running feet.

"Hey! Is that it? Just a 'nice to meet you'? I thought we were getting acquainted!" The girl said, catching up to Merlin.

"I have to go." Merlin replied as gently as he could. "I was just at the lake for a short amount of time."

The girl pouted and then perked up. "So where're you heading?"

"Um…my flat." Merlin said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, really? I live in the flat below you, did you know that? I don't think you do—you don't come out that often, do you? Well, not that I don't blame you—it's pretty boring outside and people can be pretty annoying, don't you think? I moved into the flat only a couple months ago. I've seen you go to the lake and all, but I think that's it. What exactly _do_ you do all the time?"

Merlin's head was spinning by the time the girl was finished talking. _So this is how Arthur felt whenever I talked…_he thought to himself.

"I…look through the news and work from home." Merlin managed to reply. "I don't think I've seen you much around the building, either."

"That's probably because I'm in college. I thought you'd be in college—you look like you'd still be going to school. I mean, not to be _rude _or anything," the girl finally paused, her face slightly flushed.

Merlin allowed himself to laugh a bit. "Oh, I've been out of school…recently." He decided to say.

It was odd, really. Merlin knew that he looked exactly the same as he had when he was Arthur's manservant and when he was first hired; he was in his early twenties. Twenty one, twenty two years old, maybe?

"Huh." The girl grinned as the two stopped in front of the flat building. She turned to look up at Merlin and extended a hand. "I'm Violet Prows, by the way."

Merlin took the hand slowly and shook it. "I'm Merlin. Nice to meet you." He said quietly.

Violet grinned. "Merlin? That sounds like a funny name. Not that common—is it foreign or something?" She asked curiously.

"You could say that." Merlin answered weakly. He jutted a thumb inside the building. "Well…I better be off."

He opened the door quickly and held it open for Violet for just a minute before closing it.

"D'you think you'd be coming out more often? I'm still fairly new here so it'd be nice to have someone to show me around—" Violet called after Merlin as he headed up the stairs to his own flat.

Merlin turned around, giving a subtle wince of annoyance before saying, "I would, but I don't think I'm the right person to do that."

"Are you sure? 'Cause you seem pretty able to—"

Merlin gripped the hand railing of the staircase and said in a low voice, "Please don't ask me. I would rather be by myself for now."

He quickly walked to his door and opened it with his keys. Merlin stepped inside and without giving his neighbor a second glance, he closed the door.

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**A/N: Don't forget to review/follow/fave! :)**


	2. Being Neighborly

Chapter Two. Being Neighborly

Merlin didn't do much for the rest of the day. He paced his bedroom floor until he was sure that the floorboard were worn thin enough to break through, he flipped through countless pages of books, and he had turned the telly on and off so many times that he could still see static blurring before his eyes.

He sat down on his bed and rested his head against the wall. He watched people walking up and down the streets from his window and before he knew it, he had nodded off into the world of sleep.

•◊•

Merlin was accustomed to many noises as he grew older with society. He was used to the sound of cabs and people shouting and children getting ready for school as he adjusted to modern civilization.

However, he was _not_ used to the sound of screaming and crying and begging sounds at the crack of dawn, at least, not in _this_ century.

He frowned, jolting up from his bed and opened up a window. Merlin peered down slowly and with widened eyes, saw what the commotion was all about.

"You are under arrest for using magic against the law," a police man was barking at an elderly woman who was being forced out of a building across the street. "You will face trial and be brought to justice."

"_No!_ Please, I have grandchildren! I haven't caused any harm, I swear!" The woman cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"The judge will be deciding that." The police man replied coldly, pushing the woman inside a small car.

Merlin felt his heart pounding in his chest—it was the same thing all over again back in Camelot. He knew that the Sorcery Act was slowly taking control over people, but this was the very first time he saw the law active in the very same community that he lived in as of now.

He couldn't allow this to happen—he would know the outcome of this law and it would only result in disaster and bloodshed as many spiteful and bitter sorcerers had caused with magic being outlawed.

Merlin hurried out the door without bothering to put on his jacket or put on a proper change of clothes. He ran out of the building and skidded to a stop in front of the police man.

"Let this woman go." He said breathlessly. "I've seen her—she doesn't have magic, I tell you."

"Stay out of this, boy." The police man snarled menacingly. "Or I should bring you, too."

_He called me boy,_ Merlin thought, somewhat amused, but protested, "She's innocent! The worst she's _ever_ done in this neighborhood is probably scolding children for waking up late!"

Of course, all of these words were fibs—in truth, Merlin wasn't quite sure if this woman had magic or not, but from the grateful expression on her face, he was sure that he had to be doing _something_ right.

"Do you _want_ to get in the car, or should I escort you?" The police man asked sarcastically, unhooking a pair of handcuffs from his belt. "Because I will be happy with both options."

Merlin stood his ground, eyeing the police man carefully. "Let the woman go. You don't have any real proof, do you?" He asked.

"_This_ was found in her flat!" The officer spat, holding out a handful of amulets and charms. "Explain that!"

"It might have been planted there." Merlin muttered.

The police man snorted. "Oh, yes, because we all know that _you, a boy, _would be able to figure this all out by yourself." He put away the pieces of offensive evidence and began to unclasp the handcuffs. "For defending a sorcerer, you'll be coming with—"

"Wait a minute, officer!" A familiar voice yelled from behind Merlin.

Merlin had to contain a groan as Violet ran next to him. "You can't take his word for this," she said sweetly. "_Merlin_ here suffers from a mental illness and usually doesn't know _what_ he's talking or doing half the time. I mean, look at him!" Violet gestured up and down Merlin's body and he suddenly became aware that he was still standing in his sleeping clothes and his feet were bare. Merlin suspected that he looked awful when it came down to his hair and his facial features as well.

The officer stared at Violet and frowned. "Well, what's he doing outside here, then? Are you really familiar with him?"

"Of course!" Violet grinned. "He's my neighbor—I've seen him _loads_ of times. And in case you didn't hear me the first time, officer, he doesn't know _exactly what he's doing_." She lowered her voice into a whisper. "Poor sod—can't find his shoes these days, either."

Merlin frowned and opened his mouth to protest when Violet's hand tightened around his arm.

"_Merlin_, come on, let's _go_. This was all a _mistake_." Violet said through a tight smile and dragged him away.

Merlin stared at the police officer and the elderly woman who was still standing next to the police car, her hands cuffed. The woman gave one last, hopeless wail before being shut into the car.

•◊•

_"What_ did you do that for?!" Merlin yelled the second they were in the building.

Violet flinched and replied, "I had to do it! You looked like you were going to get into trouble, that's all!"

"I was _not_ in trouble! I was trying to help that woman! She was being falsely accused of practicing magic!" Merlin said loudly. "She would be sentenced to death, do you understand?"

"I _know!_ But the police man would've taken _you_, and that would've been a _stupid_ thing to do!" Violet cried, her voice just as indignant and loud as Merlin's.

"How so?" Merlin asked, crossing his arms.

"Do you really think it's worth getting into a whole ton of trouble just because you stood up for someone? Keep your head low and don't meddle with stuff like that." Violet reasoned.

Merlin couldn't help himself—he snorted and shook his head, disbelieved.

"What?" Violet asked, bewildered.

"'Don't meddle with stuff like that,'" Merlin said sarcastically. "_Great_ advice. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going back into my flat. Good _day_."

He stormed up the stairs, gripping the hand railing so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"You know, a 'thank you' would go a long way!" Violet yelled after him.

Merlin didn't bother giving an answer.

•◊•

The warlock was asleep on the couch when he heard the knocks on his door. He blinked his eyes open tiredly and turned to the clock. It was only noon.

With a sigh, Merlin rolled off the couch and made his way towards the door. Turning the knob, he murmured, "Yes?"

"Hi." Violet said with a sheepish wave when the door was opened all the way.

"Goodbye." Merlin replied quickly, closing the door in her face.

For a minute, there was a silence from outside in the hall and then Merlin heard Violet saying, "That wasn't quite neighborly of you, you know!"

Ignoring her, Merlin walked back to the couch and sighed, opening several windows. It was too stuffed up in the flat.

"Hello? Are you suddenly deaf, or are you just pretending that I'm not here? An answer would suffice!" Violet continued to yell.

Resisting the urge to groan, Merlin walked into his bedroom and closed the door in hope that it would muffle the sound of the girl's shouts.

"Oh, so you're giving me the silent treatment?"

_Yes. _Merlin thought, pacing the room.

For the next couple minutes, the only things Merlin heard was Violet continuing to talk to the door and at last, a loud sigh was emitted.

"_Fine, then! _I hope you're happy being by yourself all the time!" Violet said indignantly and Merlin heard her storming down the steps.

Sighing in relief, Merlin sat down on his bed. _Thank goodness that was over…_

•◊•

Merlin was halfheartedly pulling at tufts of grass beside the Lake, not doing anything in particular, except of course, talking to Arthur.

"I'm telling you, Arthur, she's a real prat." Merlin muttered. "She won't get off my case."

He sighed and laid himself down on his stomach, his head resting on his arms. He placed a hand on the water and closed his eyes, allowing the sun to warm his back. Merlin slowly drowned out the sounds of people and buses around him.

He must have fallen asleep, because when Merlin reopened his eyes, it was much darker and the din of the city behind him was much quieter.

Merlin yawned sleepily and sat up, wincing as he moved his body which was still stiff from the nap.

"Gee, 'bout time you woke up."

Merlin turned around violently and Violet grinned.

The warlock groaned and stuffed his face in his arms. "_Why_ are you _following _me?" He asked, his voice somewhat muffled from his shirt sleeves.

"I'm not really _following _you—this lake _is_ open to the public, you know." Violet replied. "And besides, I'm just being neighborly."

"Be neighborly to someone else, please." Merlin muttered, looking up.

Violet had her arms crossed, a small frown on her face. She sighed and then straightened herself, turning her attention back on the water.

"Why are you so obsessed with this lake, anyways? I've seen you come here just about every day." She said. "You don't come out that often and when you do, you're always here."

Merlin stood up, staring at Violet sternly. "So, being neighborly is stalking someone, I suppose?" He asked seriously.

Violet paused, an obvious flush creeping to her face and Merlin managed to crack a smile. It was a strange thing, really. He remembered very clearly in his own head in which he used to follow Arthur around all the time. Of course, whenever he followed someone, it was for a good reason, but he wasn't always good at it.

"_No_, I'm not stalking you." Violet said defensively. "It's just…" She struggled to find the right words and finally came up with, "it's hard not to notice!"

"_Right_." Merlin said with an eye roll.

"You still haven't answered my question—why do you always come here? It's pretty and everything, but you must really love it if you come here every day." Violet repeated quietly.

The warlock turned out to the Lake and stared solemnly. "A lot of things happened here, that's all." He murmured softly, almost as though he was speaking to himself. "I need to come back to this place to remember some things."

_And I'm also waiting for a friend._

Violet blinked and said, "You sound regretful."

Merlin looked down at her. She had a small, halfhearted smile on her face. "What do you mean?" He asked.

Violet shrugged, sticking her hands in her pockets. For the first time since Merlin spoke to her, she was unusually quiet. "The way you're speaking about those memories is all. You sound like something upsetting happened here."

She gave another shrug and smirked. "Then again, I might be wrong. Who knows, maybe loads of happy stuff happened here."

Merlin stared into the waters, a tight, burning sensation starting in his throat. His fingernails dug into his palms and he desperately tried to regain his composure. "Yeah," he managed to croak out.

Violet looked over to Merlin and her smirk faded. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Merlin blinked and shook his head violently. "Fine," he replied, perhaps gruffer than he intended to. "You were right—lots of stuff happened here."

The corners of Violet's lips twitched upwards for a second and for a couple of moments, the two of them were silent.

Just as Merlin was adjusting to the sudden peace, Violet broke into the quiet and said, "Look at that, I _am_ being neighborly."

Merlin's eyes narrowed and he frowned. "What?"

"See? You were so eager to get rid of me and with a couple of words said, I'm suddenly being neighborly and you're not shooing me off." Violet grinned, pumping a fist into the air. "_Success!_"

She looked over to Merlin and stuck up a finger. "See? You're becoming neighborly, too." She said cheerfully and let out a small, queer laugh. "See ya around, Merlin!"

Humming a cheerful tune under her breath, Violet bounded away, her head bobbing up and down in the darkness.

Merlin sighed and plopped back down on the grass with only the stars and the moon for company now.

"You heard all of that, right, Arthur?" He asked. "If you have any pity for me, you'll wake up now."

* * *

**A/N: **Please review/follow/fave. I would love to hear whatever comments you all have, and of course, if there are any tips on how to improve this story, I'd be happy to listen.


	3. Magic

**I finally found some inspiration in this chapter. XD I was originally going to write chapter three in Violet's POV but then I was like, "screw it, I'm sticking with Merlin." **

**Warning-I was listening to 'River Flows in You/Kiss the Rain' Orchestra mix on my iPod when I was writing this chapter. Seriously, if any of you guys have the time, LISTEN TO THOSE SONGS. Those songs are played on the piano and it's just an instrumental, but I swear you won't regret ever listening to it. IT WILL BRING TEARS TO YOUR EYES. **

**So...listening to those pieces, I was feeling somewhat angsty and sad. Sorry if you get that vibe from that chapter. :/ I've been feeling pretty darn angsty lately, especially after re-watching season one and two of Merlin. _God_, it just hurts knowing what will become of all of the characters. :'(**

* * *

_Chapter Three. Magic_

"Citizens are not permitted access to this lake at this time."

Merlin opened his eyes and looked up sleepily from the grass. A police woman was staring down at him disapprovingly. "Are you aware of the rules of this lake?" She barked.

Merlin quickly stood up, brushing off the grass stains from his legs. "I'm sorry." He said quietly. "I was here last night and I—"

"That doesn't matter. Just be glad that this is your first time that I've ever caught you here." The woman said with a wave of her hand.

Merlin nodded and walked away, keeping his eyes on the street. His body was aching all over and he was sure that he looked unusual, too.

With a sigh, he opened the door to the flat building. He was about to head up the stairs when he felt a hand brushing the back of his shirt.

Merlin turned around, confused, and looked down at Violet, who had a small smile on her face. Once realizing that she was noticed, Violet looked up. "You have grass all over yourself." She said with a shrug. "And you look ridiculous."

She continued to pick the grass off of Merlin until he shrugged away. "I'm fine, thanks." He said halfheartedly. "I'll just clean off this thing myself."

Violet leaned against the railing. "If you say so," she said, crossing her arms.

Merlin gestured up the stairs. "I'll be going, then." He muttered.

He walked up the steps and then heard Violet running up behind him. Puzzled, Merlin turned his head to look back at the younger girl. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Violet grinned.

"Following me," Merlin replied.

"Good, you caught on!"

Merlin reached his flat and placing a hand on the doorknob, said, "I'm not really in need of any company right now, Violet."

"Oh, that's stupid. You never have company." Violet pouted. "Time to change _that_."

"Who says I want that to change?" Merlin asked.

Violet's smile faltered and she shrugged. "Even the loneliest monster needs a companion." She said quietly. "Besides, you always look sad by yourself." She shook her head. "Don't you have any other friends or family?"

Merlin's grip on the doorknob tightened as Violet continued to talk on.

"I have a family back in the states, but it's been a while since I last saw them with school and all." She said thoughtfully. "I had some friends, too. Loved all of them—really nice people." Violet looked up at Merlin. "So, what about you?"

Merlin breathed in sharply and he watched as his knuckles slowly turned white. His throat felt as though it was being clogged up with a rock or a sharp object. It was painful to speak. "I…had a family, too." He said in a low voice. "And friends."

Violet smiled brightly. "I knew it! See, you can't have been so lonely all the time, right? Where are your friends and family now? Do you see them a lot or—"

"I'd rather not talk about it." Merlin said through gritted teeth. He was beginning to feel his body being weighed down by sadness.

Violet's cheerful grin faded and she looked at Merlin. "Hey…did I say something wrong?" She asked, her tone suddenly soft and concerned.

The door clicked open and Merlin silently walked in.

"Merlin?" Violet called out as he began to shut the door. She grabbed the doorknob before it would close. Merlin looked down at her. "I'm sorry, Violet, but I just can't talk right now." He said.

"I understand." Violet's voice came out surprisingly gentle. "I shouldn't have barged in like that." She let go of the doorknob and bowed her head. "See you around then, Merlin."

•◊•

Merlin sat down on the couch, staring listlessly at the window. Grey clouds were beginning to roll over the sky and the warlock was beginning to feel drowsy with sleep.

Merlin rolled over on his side and suddenly heard a sharp crackling sound coming from his pocket.

Frowning, Merlin dug his hand inside his pants pocket and found himself holding onto a piece of paper.

Merlin rubbed his eyes tiredly and held the paper out in front of him. Neat, silver lettering was written on the crumpled up piece of paper and he slowly read the notice.

_Merlin—_

_Please don't give up hope yet. Arthur's time is coming much closer than you realize. _

_Love always, _

_Freya _

Merlin felt tears blurring his vision and he held the paper close to himself.

"Thank you, Freya." He murmured and closing his eyes, fell asleep.

•◊•

Merlin was sure to visit the lake frequently after the note. He sat by the lake for hours and hours, watching the waters eagerly for any movement.

"Freya told me that you're coming soon, Arthur." Merlin whispered. "I don't know what time is exactly like down there, but please come as quickly as you can. There's so much I still need to tell you and so much that I want to show you…"

He dipped a hand in the water. A smile spread across his face.

"Come soon, Arthur." Merlin murmured.

"Arthur? Is that his name?" Violet asked, sitting down beside Merlin.

The warlock jumped and he turned to look at Violet. She had an eyebrow lifted, but her expression was neutral. "I _knew_ you were always talking to _someone_ here."

"How long have you been here?" Merlin asked shakily.

"Oh, for some time now. I heard everything." Violet kicked off her sneakers and placed them next to her. "Something about Freya…and showing stuff to this guy…I mean, _wow_."

Merlin felt his heart racing nervously and he stammered, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, you do." Violet rested her head on the grass. "Merlin, I don't know why you hate being around me so much, but I'm not going to tell anyone about this entire…lake thing."

Merlin blinked. "What?"

Violet fell silent. She sat up and brought her knees to her chest. She, too, stared out at the lake with a sad expression. "I can see why you always come to this place now." She said quietly. Violet turned to Merlin.

"Is Arthur dead?" She asked. "I was talking to you about friends and family a couple of days ago…and you mentioned that you _had_ friends."

Merlin pulled at some glass blades and gave a small nod. "Arthur died some time ago." He murmured. "He was…a good friend."

"You were talking about him coming back." Violet murmured. "Although I don't see _why_ you would do such a thing…" She looked up at Merlin and smiled sadly. "If one of my friends or family members died, I would do the more drastic things, too."

Merlin frowned. "What are you implying?" He asked, genuinely confused.

Violet crossed her arms. "You're going to look for a sorcerer, aren't you? The only kind of people who can bring others back from the dead are those who practiced magic." She said quietly.

Merlin's eyes widened and he began to stammer a denial but Violet shook her head. "It's okay, Merlin. Sorcery is banned but I understand. Your secret is safe with me."

Merlin stared. "You don't think magic is evil?" He managed to ask.

Violet frowned. "How is it evil? If you think about it, just about anything can be considered dangerous in the hands of those who are wicked." She said. "A gun can be dangerous in the hands of a killer, but it can be a useful tool in the hands of others. A fire can be used to cause death but it can also be used as a helpful light or heat source."

"No, I believe that magic can be used for both good and evil." Violet concluded at last. "The people who decided to ban it are wrong. You don't see them banning people from using knives or guns, now, do you?"

Merlin stared at Violet. "You're right." He murmured.

Violet smiled. "See? I know a bit more than you take me for." She tapped her head halfheartedly with a thumb. She turned back to the lake. "It's pretty awful seeing people being carried off because of magic too, isn't it?" She asked sadly. "All of those innocent lives…it's not fair."

Merlin swallowed. He wasn't quite sure what to tell the girl without giving away his own secret. "Magic...is a difficult matter." He managed to say. "I think there will be a time when it can be looked upon as something that can be used for the better."

Violet looked up at Merlin. "Do you really believe in that?" She asked, almost wistfully.

Merlin stared at Violet. There was something new in her voice—longing, almost hope. He could see himself in her eyes, the same expression that he himself had when he came to Camelot.

"Yes." Merlin replied.

Violet smiled. She stood up and offered a hand to the warlock. Merlin, taking it, stood up with her as well.

"Thanks for the talk, Merlin." She said. "I'm glad."

Merlin looked after the girl, puzzled, and crossed his arms. There was something that Merlin noticed about her that he hadn't seen before. Violet was a mystery to him, no doubt about it.

* * *

**A/N: Wince, wince, double wince. I'm sorry that this chapter isn't as long as my others, but again, I wasn't feeling quite myself when I was writing it. XD As always, please review and give feedback. More reviews give me more strength for writing! You get a cookie if you review! Here-(::) **

**'Till next time. :)**


	4. A Surprise

**Yay, inspiration struck and I've finally finished this chapter! **

**Firstly, before reading this, I have several apologies to make-I'm sorry if I'm rushing things. I never was patient when it came to writing, and I hope you'll forgive me for that after reading this chapter. :/ [The title of the chapter might have given you a clue...] Secondly, I'm sorry if Violet appears to be a Mary-Sue or something of a sort. Before anyone can ask, Violet is NOT a self-insert and if she IS acting like a Mary-Sue, PLEASE PM me about it because I don't want her to be one. **

**On that note, read on! **

* * *

_Chapter Four. A Surprise_

_"Mer_lin, is there a particular reason for you to be sitting there?"

Merlin froze, feeling as though his heart had just accelerated to lightning speed and his mind becoming temporarily blank. He _knew_ that voice. Only _one_ person said his name like that. Only _one_ person had this particular voice.

"_Mer_lin, I'm talking to you. Aren't you going to _answer_ me?" The voice continued and Merlin stood up. He turned around and his eyes widened considerably. If his heart was beating fast before, it was absolutely _pounding _now.

Arthur Pendragon was leaning casually against a tree as though nothing had ever happened. The ugly wound from Camlann had all but disappeared, and he looked healthier and Merlin had ever seen him. His eyes were the same bright blue that shone with compassion and nobility, but the same hint of mischief was still there.

It really was Arthur.

The King of Camelot had returned.

"Art'ur." Merlin couldn't even say Arthur's name properly. He was having trouble forming his words. Tears were beginning to form in his eyes and he couldn't breathe.

"Don't just stand there, _Mer_lin." Arthur grinned. He outstretched his hands and chuckled under his breath. "Do you really think that's a proper way for you to greet your king?"

Merlin didn't say anything. He stumbled forward, his steps uneven and jerky. There wasn't anything else in the world—it was just Arthur standing less than three feet away from him.

"Oof!" Arthur grunted as Merlin wrapped his arms around him. However, it wasn't long before Arthur was returning the hug. "Nice to see you, too, Merlin."

•◊•

Merlin's eyes opened and he found himself on the couch in his flat. For a minute, he lay there, confused and bewildered over his surroundings.

Where was Arthur? Wasn't he outside only a few moments ago? What was going on?

Suddenly, reality crashed back down and Merlin's breath caught itself in his throat. He _wasn't_ outside. _Nothing_ had happened.

And most of all, Arthur _wasn't_ here.

Merlin heaved in a couple of slow breaths and sat up. He stared out the window and could see the lake clearly. Merlin closed his eyes, remembering and savoring the words that Freya had written to him.

_Arthur's time is coming much sooner than you realize. _

How soon? What was Freya's definition of 'soon'? Merlin had lived a long time—for all he knew, 'soon' might mean another thousand years or so.

He couldn't wait that long.

Merlin stood up and though he was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday, decided to walk back outside. He shoved on his shoes and hurried out of the flat. Merlin was beginning to head to the lake when he spotted someone sitting at the shore.

The warlock frowned and jogged towards the lake. He quickly came to a halt and then frowned. He could almost _hear_ someone speaking to the lake.

Merlin frowned and crept a bit closer, careful not to make a sound.

"So, um…you don't know me, I don't think." The person was saying to the waters.

Violet.

Merlin stared, puzzled, but remained silent.

"I'm uh, Violet and _yes_, I'm speaking to a lake and _yes_, I know that I'm speaking to a lake. Or a person in a lake. Or something like that." Violet took a deep breath and she crossed her legs. "_Ugh_, I'm talking to _you_—some dead guy named Arthur. You're Merlin's friend."

"I'm also Merlin's friend. Um, sort of." Violet added hastily. "To be honest, I think he doesn't see _me_ as a friend, but that's all good." She shrugged.

"I've listened to him speaking to you, you know." She muttered. "And I don't know _why_ he does it, but I know that you're dead and he really wants you back. And he's probably going to go after a sorcerer or something to bring you back."

Merlin closed his eyes and couldn't help but to smirk. _Go after a sorcerer…_what a funny idea. He reopened his eyes and crept closer.

"Magic's outlawed here," Violet continued. "Mainly because people are scared of it and they think that it's only used for evil."

She shook her head. "But that's not really why I'm here—I don't know _how long _you've been dead for, but I think you were gone for some time. I mean, Merlin _acts_ like it. You were really close to him, weren't you?"

Violet played with her hands. "I don't even know if you're real or not—you could be a figment of Merlin's imagination for all I know." She let out a small laugh, but it only lasted for several seconds before she returned to her solemn state.

"But if you _are_ real and if you _are_ listening to me, please come back." Violet blinked, as though surprised by her own request. "Merlin acts like I'm a stranger and he doesn't really come out that often unless it's to talk to you." She gestured at the lake. "And he's lonely." Violet paused. "People don't like being lonely," she added softly and stood up.

Merlin didn't bother moving or hiding when the girl turned around.

"Whoa!" Violet gasped and took a quick step back once seeing the warlock. Her face paled and she stared at him with wide eyes. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

"What? The lake is open for the public," Merlin gestured around the space. "Aren't I allowed to come here?"

Violet twisted her fingers together and stammered, "No, I mean…_gosh_, how long have you been standing there?"

Merlin shrugged. "For some time," he smiled. He couldn't help it—the parallels were too similar. Just the other day, Merlin had been in Violet's position.

The girl crossed her arms. "You were eavesdropping?" She asked slowly.

Merlin shrugged casually.

"Oh, come on!" Violet huffed, giving the warlock a small shove with her hands.

Merlin blinked in surprise and asked, "What was that?"

Violet bit her lip. "Um…" She shook her head. "It's just not very nice for you to sneak up on people like that."

"You're one to talk," Merlin retorted. "You're always sneaking around, following people…"

The girl rolled her eyes. "That's different! It's called _getting to know someone_."

"Really? Strangely enough, there's another word for your actions." Merlin grinned.

"And what's that?"

The warlock bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. "_Stalker_," he said and ducked nimbly as Violet's arm came flying towards his head.

"I am _not_ a stalker!" She said crossly.

Merlin smirked. "Yes, you are!" He bolted away as Violet started to run after him.

"At least I'm not a lunatic! I don't talk to a lake all the time!" She yelled, a teasing note in her voice.

"Oh, come on, you're growing attached to that lake, too!" Merlin shouted with a laugh.

Violet rolled her eyes and then flopped onto the grass. She crossed her arms beneath her head and Merlin walked down to her.

"So…how long have you been talking to Arthur? In the lake, I mean." Violet said.

Merlin shrugged. "I'm not sure," he replied. Well, actually, that was a lie—he had a _fairly_ good idea about how long he's been talking to Arthur through the lake, but he wasn't quite sure how Violet would react if he said he's been talking to Arthur for more than a thousand years…

Violet didn't press on for a real answer. She simply shrugged and clasped her hands in front of her.

Merlin brushed some blades of grass off his jeans and was about to stand up when someone grabbed his shoulders from behind.

The warlock let out a cry of surprise and whirled around to look at the intruder. "Who do you—" His question died in his throat and something that resembled a sob came out of Merlin.

Violet frowned and she looked at the warlock. "Merlin?" She asked, nudging him cautiously. "What's wrong?"

Merlin didn't acknowledge his neighbor.

A pair of blue eyes were staring at Merlin's, and a familiar smile was greeting him.

"Hello, _Mer_lin."

* * *

**A/N: *facepalms* I DID say that I sort of rushed things...but I was dying for him to return! I really was! IT WAS KILLING ME INSIDE! **

**Please review, give feedback, just don't leave any flames. :) Thank you for all the support-this is my first multi-chapter Merlin fic so I'm still very cautious about approaching the fandom. :P**


	5. The Return of Arthur Pendragon

**I'm finally updating! Phew! It's been, what, a little more than a month since I've updated? *winces* I'm Miss Procrastinator! XD **

**Anyways, thanks so much for all of the faves/follows, it means a bunch. Don't forget to review, please! I know that there are certain people who just can't be bothered to leave a review, but really, it helps. I would like to know how I can improve on this story. **

**I wouldn't mind if you left constructive criticism, really-the only things that I ****_will _****report/delete are flames. **

**Plus, I know that some people don't like to read stories with just, like, one review. :/**

**But for those of you who DID review, thanks so much! It means a lot. ;) **

* * *

_Chapter Five. The Return of Arthur Pendragon_

It was almost as though time slowed down. Merlin couldn't think. He couldn't breathe.

He was pretty sure his heart stopped, too.

Arthur was standing right in front of him.

He was back.

"Are you just going to stand there, _Mer_lin?" Arthur asked with a smug grin. "I'm disappointed."

Merlin cleared his throat painfully and judging by the burning sensation in his eyes, tears were beginning to form.

"Dollop head," he managed to mutter and flung his arms around Arthur's neck.

Merlin heard Arthur laughing lightly in his ear as he returned the embrace. "I'm the king, Merlin. Do you really think it's appropriate to call me _dollop head?" _

"It is now." Merlin replied, blinking away the tears from his eyes.

The two separated and Arthur looked up and down the warlock. "Look at you," he said. "You didn't change one bit. I expected you to look older."

"I _am_ older, Arthur." Merlin replied quietly. He extended his arms. "But I did some touch-ups…"

"You still have the neckerchief," Arthur commented, pointing at the piece of cloth that hung around the warlock's neck.

Merlin smiled bashfully. "Yeah, I do." He replied.

"Erm…am I interrupting something?"

Merlin and Arthur both turned around to look at Violet, who had her hands shoved in her pockets and eyebrows lifted in confusion.

"Who're you?" Violet pointed at Arthur. "You just…appeared out of nowhere."

Merlin and Arthur automatically exchanged looks. The warlock couldn't help but to feel a rush of adrenaline when doing so—the clot pole really _was_ back.

"I'm Arthur Pendragon," the blond replied.

Violet's eyes narrowed. "Arthur?" She frowned. She looked at the two men up and down and her lips parted in shock.

"Wait a minute…you're—"

Before Violet could finish her sentence, the sound of loud sirens filled the air and the three looked up violently.

Police cars were parking all around them and officers were flooding out of the vehicles. Merlin felt his blood run cold and he automatically brought Arthur and Violet closer to himself.

"Stay right where you are." A cold, solemn voice said as a rather uptight looking woman approached the three. "Any movement of escape will ensure an execution on the spot. Keep in mind that I will _not_ hesitate to give the signal to _any_ of these officers."

Merlin stared blankly at the woman. "What are you talking about?" He asked, mirroring her cold tone.

The woman crossed her arm, a nametag that read 'Officer Jones' flashing on her chest. "Did you _really_ think that we weren't aware of the properties of this lake?" She scoffed. "We've been monitoring this place since the second the Sorcery Act was passed."

"What Sorcery—" Arthur began to ask but Merlin furtively stepped on his foot with a heel.

"I still don't understand." Merlin said calmly. "What are you implying?"

The woman—Officer Jones—pointed a finger at Arthur accusingly. "There are prophecies and words about this event," she said quietly. "Prophecies that Arthur Pendragon, the King of Camelot, will rise again—"

"Wait, _what_?!" Merlin heard Violet yelping. "Arthur Pendragon, as in the actual King from the _Arthurian_…" Her voice quickly trailed away as an officer glared threateningly at her.

"And the land of Albion would be supposedly reunited." Officer Jones finished with a sneer. "Therefore, sorcery will rule once more."

"How can you be so sure about that?" Merlin asked. "For all you know, sorcery might be used for _good_."

"There's enough evidence to prove otherwise." Officer Jones replied dismissively. She gestured with her hand to the men standing behind her. "Take them into the cars."

Not even one officer had made two steps towards Merlin, Arthur and Violet when one of the police cars exploded. Several officers let out shouts of pain as debris of the car hit them. Merlin and Arthur both backed away, whereas Violet simply stumbled ungracefully onto her back.

"Merlin!" Arthur looked at the warlock with wide eyes.

However, Merlin was just as confused as his friend. "That wasn't me," he said shakily, quickly yanking Violet to her feet.

"Thanks." She gasped.

"Seize them!" Merlin heard Officer Jones yelling and the group didn't say anything else.

They bolted for the trees.

•◊•

"So—let me get this straight—_you're_ King Arthur of Camelot and—Merlin is the wizard dude from the books?" Violet panted as the three came to a sudden stop in the forest.

"Something like that." Arthur replied, leaning against a tree casually.

"_Wizard dude?_" Merlin managed to ask as he, too, bent over his knees from the run.

Violet looked back up and shrugged. "I dunno…aren't you a wizard?" She asked.

"Warlock." Merlin replied defensively.

"Sounds like the same thing to me." Violet said, straightening herself.

Arthur snorted in laughter as Merlin shot her a rather wounded look.

Violet grinned and she looked behind the tree, as though to check if there was anyone lurking behind them. "You would think that those guys would be a bit smarter than to try to take us into the cars—honestly," she said incredulously, shaking her head.

"Cars?" Arthur blinked. "I thought that they would be called something else—do they actually _move_?"

Violet pressed her lips together. "Um, yeah? Didn't you—oh, wait…you just came back from the dead, right."

This time, it was Merlin's time to laugh as Arthur rolled his eyes.

After a more satisfied silence, Merlin looked back and blew out some air from his mouth, frustrated. "We can't exactly go back," he muttered. "Not the same way, that is."

Violet's face fell immediately. "We are _not_ camping here," she said crossly.

"I didn't say that, either." Merlin replied calmly.

Arthur poked his head from around his tree and narrowed his eyes. "Is there anyone else that you two know of who might be able to distract them?" He asked.

As Merlin opened his mouth to speak, a snort came from Violet.

"Don't think so," she said. "And to be honest, _Merlin _here has been a real hermit, so he doesn't know anyone."

"Merlin? A hermit? That's a new one," Arthur muttered.

Merlin shot an indignant glare at Violet and said, "I don't know anyone who might help, but we can always distract them with a bit of magic."

Violet blinked and furrowed her brow. "Isn't that a bad idea?" She asked. "You heard them—they _hate_ magic. Using more would just…cause more destruction."

"Not if they don't recognize me," Merlin murmured.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "And _how_ are you going to do that?" He asked. "Merlin, those people just saw you a couple of minutes ago—they would _definitely _recognize who you are."

Merlin grinned. "Give me a moment," he replied simply and ducked behind a bush.

A minute later, he jumped out from behind the bush and laughed out loud at the expression on both Violet and Arthur's faces.

He knew what they saw when they looked at him—Merlin hadn't seen his aged form for quite some time, but he assumed that his face was lined with multiple wrinkles and his hair was white. He looked down and grinned widely at his beard, which fell to his midriff.

True, Merlin felt sore all over, but the expressions were worth it.

"What…on _earth…_" Arthur stammered and blinked. "Wait, you were that…that sorcerer! The doggery old man! Dragoon the Great!" He shook his head incredulously and then frowned.

"Hang on a minute, you called me a toad!" He said.

Merlin shrugged and answered bashfully, "I was playing the part of an angry sorcerer."

"I don't think it was completely acting…" Arthur grumbled.

Violet clasped her hands behind her back. "_If _you two are _quite _finished, we need to go back. What was that about the distraction?" She asked, giving a pointed look at Merlin.

"Er…right." Merlin replied. He squared his shoulders and hobbled out of the forest.

The police cars were still in ruins, but the officers were scattered around the lake and some were slowly proceeding into the forest.

Merlin looked 'round before crouching near one of the police cars and, with a quiet murmur, lit it on fire.

"Hey!" A police officer yelled as Merlin stood back up. "Stay right there!"

_Not a chance, _Merlin thought and dove away from the car as the flames continued to burn away the metal. He could see Arthur and Violet running towards the apartment buildings from the corner of his eyes, but the distraction wouldn't last for long.

Merlin quickly darted behind another building, looking desperately for some other escape. Maybe if he—

"Stop, sorcerer!" One of the officers barked from a foot away, a gun aimed at Merlin's head.

Merlin answered with a quick, swiping motion with his hand and the officer was thrown into one of the walls of the building. He heard a sickening, cracking sound and he winced.

_That's going to leave a mark, _he thought to himself and quickly ran for the apartment buildings.

Murmuring the counter spell, Merlin grabbed the door handle and had only opened the door when he felt a sudden, sharp pain bloom in his leg.

With a gasp, Merlin fell to the ground of the apartment building and he was aware of the sound of footsteps from all around him. He felt someone roughly grab at his arms and drag him into the building. Someone was trying to grab his leg, but there was a loud roar—_was that Arthur?_—and the door slammed closed.

"Violet, lock the door!" Arthur yelled and Merlin managed to make out his neighbor quickly yanking out a key and promptly locking the doors. For a few minutes, the three watched as the police men and women quickly made work on trying to break down the door.

"What are you waiting for?" Merlin asked, his face twisting in pain. "We have to go!"

Violet blinked and quickly turned away from the door, her face pale. "Right." She said shakily, and grabbed Merlin's arm, Arthur holding onto the other.

They all staggered up the stairs, and within several minutes, Violet had opened the door to Merlin's apartment.

"Key?" Merlin murmured to Violet.

She smiled guiltily and said, "I sort of…um…took it from you when you got in."

"Well…that's a good thing." Merlin replied and he settled into the couch.

"Can you do something about that?" Violet asked, pointing at the wound in Merlin's leg. Blood was slowly beginning to spread over Merlin's pants.

"Yes, I can, actually." Merlin replied and with some murmurs, the blood slowly dissolved and he felt the pain slowly ebbing away. When Merlin rolled up his pants' leg, there wasn't anything except a small scar.

"Since when were you able to do that?" Arthur asked incredulously. "You never did that back in Camelot."

"No…" Merlin admitted. "But you'd be surprised how much someone can practice in over a thousand years."

Violet snorted and both Merlin and Arthur turned to look at her with lifted eyebrows.

"What?" Merlin asked defensively.

"Sorry," Violet replied. "I just…I mean…I'm still trying to get over the fact that _you're _actually the real _Merlin _and he's," she pointed at Arthur, "the real King Arthur of Camelot."

Merlin managed a halfhearted smile. "I suppose it sounds ridiculous…but it's all true."

Violet crossed her arms. "So all fictional stories are true?" She asked, her eyes narrowed.

Merlin shrugged. "I don't know about _that—_" He began but Arthur interrupted by saying, "What do you mean, _fictional? _I'm right _here!_"

Violet rolled her eyes and looked around the apartment. "We'll have to begin packing a bag, I suppose," she said. "The police are having some trouble with that door, I think."

"How do you know that?" Arthur asked.

Violet shrugged. "They're not here yet." She replied and quickly put her hands on her hips. "Right…so, Merlin, do you have an old backpack or something of the sort?"

"It's in the closet." Merlin said, gesturing inside his bedroom.

Violet nodded and was about to walk away when Merlin asked, "Wait, what'd you need it for?"

"Well, we'll need to run, won't we?" Violet replied coolly. "At least, until we figure out what's going on."

Merlin frowned and stood up. "What do you mean, _we?_" He asked. "_You're_ staying here."

Violet's mouth dropped open. "What?" She asked incredulously. "Are you crazy? I can't stay here—those police officers know that I'm involved in this!"

Arthur frowned and placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "She's got a point." He said quietly. "We can't leave her."

"What? Don't tell me that you're taking her side!" Merlin cried indignantly.

Arthur smirked. "I didn't say that, _Mer_lin. I agree that she can't stay here, but she can stay at…a relative's house or something." He turned to Violet. "Surely, you have someone you can stay with who might keep you hidden, right?"

Violet snorted. "Listen here, guys," she said firmly. "My freaking parents live on the other side of the _world_. I can't exactly hitch a plane ride at the last second with a whole ton of police officers wanting my _ass_."

"Wanting your—" Arthur began to ask, but Merlin cut him off.

"You can't come with us." He said firmly. "It's dangerous. You'll be safer here."

"How will she be safe with—"

Suddenly, there was a loud crashing sound from downstairs and all three of them froze. Violet slowly turned to Merlin and Arthur and said grimly, "Well, you two better make up a decision quick, because it looks like those guys made it through the door."

"I thought you said that they wouldn't get in!" Arthur said. "Did you forget to lock it?"

"I locked it!" Violet said furiously. "I just thought that the thing would hold!"

"_What_ would hold?" Merlin asked. "A lock doesn't just 'hold'!"

The sound of boots running up the stairs silenced Violet and she turned to Merlin and Arthur. "You two _can't _leave me alone now," she said. "The officers will be here any second!"

Merlin glared at Violet. _Why_ did she have to be his neighbor? _Why couldn't she just keep her nose in her own business? _

"Merlin…" Arthur said warningly and Merlin sighed in exasperation.

"Grab the bag. I'll help you put in as much stuff as I can, but it'll have to be quick." Merlin muttered at last.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, maybe this was one of my longer chapters, but I'll admit it-it definitely wasn't my best. Writing with an original character is hard, especially since I'm so worried that I might make Violet a Mary-Sue and I really don't want that to happen. **

**Sorry for the slight OOC Merlin, but hey, he's been alone for more than a thousand years so I was up for some angsty/grumpy Merlin. Don't worry, though, I'll bring him back around, especially with Arthur back. **

**I'm very sorry if I'm rushing this story-I know that some writers and readers like things to go slowly but I just couldn't contain my excitement. I WILL slow it down, though! [Like Merlin and Violet's relationship...I'm going to make it as realistic as I can.] **

**Please, please, please review? With dragons on top? *wrinkles nose* Ooh, I better not tell the Great Dragon about that...**


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